Review of 'Anna K'
Anna K is a compelling, addicting, and fresh contemporary retelling of a classic.
Synopsis
At seventeen, Anna K is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and dogs); she has the perfect (if perfectly boring) boyfriend, Alexander W.; and she has always made her Korean-American father proud (even if he can be a little controlling). Meanwhile, Anna's brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Lolly, are trying to weather an sexting scandal; Lolly's little sister, Kimmie, is struggling to recalibrate to normal life after an injury derails her ice dancing career; and Steven's best friend, Dustin, is madly (and one-sidedly) in love with Kimmie.
As her friends struggle with the pitfalls of ordinary teenage life, Anna always seems to be able to sail gracefully above it all. That is...until the night she meets Alexia "Count" Vronsky at Grand Central. A notorious playboy who has bounced around boarding schools and who lives for his own pleasure, Alexia is everything Anna is not. But he has never been in love until he meets Anna, and maybe she hasn't, either. As Alexia and Anna are pulled irresistibly together, she has to decide how much of her life she is willing to let go for the chance to be with him. And when a shocking revelation threatens to shatter their relationship, she is forced to question if she has ever known herself at all.
Dazzlingly opulent and emotionally riveting, Anna K: A Love Story is a brilliant reimagining of Leo Tolstoy's timeless love story, Anna Karenina--but above all, it is a novel about the dizzying, glorious, heart-stopping experience of first love and first heartbreak.
Review
When I saw the title Anna K I instantly knew this was a retelling of Anna Karenina. I have read Anna Karenina only once in my life, in college for my Russian Lit class. Why I took that class, I do not know. I think it was the only exciting literature class that sparked an interest in me. I also knew the teacher and knew if I had to, could skate by. He always graded on a curve. When I read Anna Karenina, I was not as in love with it as I would have liked. To be honest, I think it bored me. Then the film came out starring Keira Knightley and I saw what I was missing in the novel. However, I did not pick the novel back up to re-read it.
However, I can say, as far as retellings go, Anna K blew me away.
A Compelling Contemporary Retelling
There were so many parts of this novel that reminded me of the Gossip Girl novels. This wave of nostalgia that hit me gave me goosebumps in a good way. Connecting me to those memories only made me love the novel even more.
However, what stands out about the novel is the characters. It is so easy to visualize these characters as they embark on their adolescent journey into love. That is probably the reason why I love this retelling more than the original because it is so easy to believe young kids are screwing up and figuring out their love lives rather than adults. There is such a preconception that lingers in our minds that makes us think that adults have it all figured out even when we know they do not. Even here, the adults do not have everything figured out, and that is the charm of the novel.
Anna thought she had everything figured out, her whole future laid out before her, a dotting boyfriend, the pride of Greenwich, but she forgot to live. That was brilliant, and part of the compelling nature of the novel.
By going back and forth between these characters, the novel intertwines their lives together, giving the novel a good pace and strong character dynamics. These may be high society kids, but the reader can connect to them because they are as lost as every other teenager out there. These kids are dealing with the hardships of school, the control of social media, and the addiction and longing that is love. Everyone, no matter the age, can connect with these characters because they are real, they come to life in such a brilliant way, developing and growing as they experience life.
Final Thoughts
Anna K was a brilliant contemporary retelling. It has such a range of characters but never loses the reader. It is cohesive in its fluidity, moving from one character to another is such a smooth motion. Jenny Lee did such a good job making sure the novel flowed, ensuring that the pacing of the novel remained steady so that she did not lose her point of view.
A true love story, Anna K lingers and connects to the reader long after they finish.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
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About the Author
Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.
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